Weary of round-the-clock seafood, 19th-century sailors often preferred to consume boxes of shark-shaped fruit snacks, which doubled as miniature, gelatinous reminders of an ever-present danger. Today's Groupon replaces utilitarian gelatin with gourmet seafood: for $20, you get $45 worth of elegant coastal fare at Gertrude's, John Shields's restaurant at the Baltimore Museum of Art. This Groupon is valid for dinner only.

Recently featured in the Washington Times, Gertrude's is a salt-stained bastion of coastal cuisine, with a menu chock-full of Chesapeake classics. Chef and owner John Shields, a nationally acclaimed coastal-fare innovator, author, and crab whisperer, named the restaurant for his grandmother, Gertrude Cleary. Grandma Gertrude's traditional Baltimore crab cake recipe lives on at her namesake restaurant with a dinner order of Gertie's crab cakes ($20), which arrives dressed with a choice of eight sauces, including the Creole or three-mustard. It's served with a choice of sides such as apple and fennel coleslaw, hush puppies, or grilled rosemary potatoes. Other maritime entrees, such as the citrus barbecue shrimp ($24) and the Chesapeake rockfish imperial ($30), recognize each other from the Shark Week extras' green room and happily provide diners fishing for Bay fare authenticity with transcendent catches for immediate consumption. Also available are Gertie's seafood Creole ($24) and locally raised beef burgers ($10).

Located inside the Baltimore Museum of Art, Gertrude's offers a gustatory counterpart to the museum's collection of masterworks, as well as a point of reference for Matisse's Oyster Po' Boy Begging for Change. With an interior that reflects the welcoming warmth of the Chesapeake Bay, plus seasonal sundrenched terrace seating, Gertrude's is great for everything from full family outings to lobster-fueled cousin-in-law bonding sessions.

This Groupon is valid for dine-in only, and may not be used on the special Tuesday night menu, Wednesday's half-off wine special, Lobsterama, or the Baltimore Summer Restaurant Week menu.

Reviews

OpenTable reviewers named the restaurant a Diners’ Choice Winner for American cuisine, Most Booked, and Outdoor Dining. The Washington Times, Baltimore Guide, and Baltimore City Paper featured Gertrude’s. Yelpers give the restaurant an average of 3.5 stars, OpenTable reviewers give it an average of four stars, and 80% of Urbanspooners recommend it:

• The food is creative and delicious, with a nice inclination toward local cuisine. The ambiance is incomparable as the restaurant is in the sculpture garden of the Baltimore Museum of Art, next to a bubbling fountain and a pleasant green area. The staff is professional and friendly. I have enjoyed many evenings there with good wine and friends... I recommend Gertrude's highly. – OpenTable.com reviewer who dined on 07/31/2010
• Service was fine and prompt and even when the restaurant had cleared out and even when we were the last guests left we were not hurried, they even offered more coffee. I would definitely go back. – jsm, Urbanspoon